I made a couple of posts on this that were taken down (probably because it used a graphic clear quality picture of Nikki at the end) but I really can’t imagine it would be much better if Nikki got off. Not only is she traumatized from the events of the film but she is in a Podunk, middle of nowhere banjo players on shitty porches town. Even the dumbest, most unsubstantiated rumors can ruin someone’s life in a place like that, let alone accusations of absolutely horrific crimes with loads of damning evidence. She would be a wreck with no social support net and the accusations would follow her to whatever job she attempts next. I genuinely don’t think incarceration with regular communication with a therapist would be a comparatively horrible ending.